The ground shattered, giving way to a rock giant that rose from beneath the earth, it stood fifty meters tall and wide, and on the back of its neck was the tree Ebon clung to for her life.
"Hold on tight, miss, this won't be easy"
"At least give a warning, idiot, I almost fell"
Beneath the giant was a massive circular crater left by the absence of the body that had once been part of the ground, five hooded figures were left injured there.
"Perfect, that's how I like it, well done old man, let's see who's bigger then" said the masked leader as he placed his hand in front of his mask and a magic circle glowed on the back of it.
{{Blood Magic: Flesh Puppets}}
"Listen, useless vessels! From now on I don't care if your bones break or you die right here, break your limits!… Cage formation" shouted the leader as his voice echoed unnaturally through magic.
The injured hooded figures rose immediately, ignoring pain and wounds. They climbed out of the crater and began surrounding the giant.
"That summoning only lasts 5 minutes, stay away from it and let it tire itself out" ordered the masked mage.
On the giant's head stood the elf, his sword embedded in the rock, and after letting out a whistle, his summon began to move, smashing the ground to crush nearby cultists.
With each strike, some hooded figures were injured, but then a sphere of water slammed into the giant's arm.
"Where are you looking, big guy?" said the masked leader from the top of a tree, then began chanting as black water wrapped around the blade of his sword.
{{Water Magic}}
{{Black Sword: Corrupt Blessing}}
"Let's see if this is your size, old man" he shouted mockingly.
He began swinging his weapon, and with each movement, high-pressure water sprayed from the blade like long-range slashes.
The elf was forced to command the giant to attack the mage, but the latter leapt from tree to tree, keeping his distance while continuing his assault.
The eight remaining cultists, devoid of free will, drove black iron stakes into the ground where magic circles appeared.
Magic overflowed at each point as cracks formed in the earth, glowing purple as they advanced toward the giant.
"Miss, I believe I never introduced myself properly" said the elf calmly while the cracks were only a few meters away from reaching the living stone.
But with a sharp whistle, massive roots grew from the waist down, wrapping around the giant's legs like muscles.
"And why does that matter now? That spell will immobilize us if it reaches us, do something!"
Suddenly, the giant leapt with overwhelming force, Ebony screamed nonstop as they rose nearly to the clouds, at the peak, the elf spoke.
"I am Lucian Kul-Raz, a proud elf of the Emerald Grove, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Visitor"
"You're insane, we'll die if we fall from this height!"
He looked at her with a confident smile while chanting one final verse, then pulled his sword free from the giant's surface.
{{Sleeping Giant: Final Breath}}
Green glowing cracks spread across the rocky body, and in an instant it exploded, scattering debris like a rain of stone that would have covered the entire forest.
"Damn old man, everyone take cover!" shouted the masked leader.
"(Let's see if this is your size, kid)" Lucian thought as he brought his palms together and magic circles appeared on every fragment of the giant.
{{Spiritual Magic: Fairy Flame}}
Mid-fall, every piece of debris, large or small, ignited in green flames.
"(What an amazing sight this would be… if I weren't in the middle of a rain of fire, you stupid long-eared jerk!)" thought Ebony as she screamed in terror.
"Calm down, I won't let anything happen to you" Lucian said as he formed a gesture with his fingers, and the tree Ebony clung to began to change.
{{Forest Summoning: Bird Basket}}
The wood twisted and intertwined around Ebony, forming a woven sphere of thick branches that protected her.
Moments later, the rain of fire and earth crashed into the ground, destroying everything amid deafening explosions.
Several minutes passed before Ebony emerged from the debris, safe and unharmed.
Looking around, everything was a burning wasteland, but the flames did not harm the trees or her, only their enemies.
But victory did not come, the enemy leader emerged from the rubble near Ebony, his body was injured, his clothes burned, and his shattered mask revealed his red right eye.
"Damn old man, damn girl… damn thieves!... I'll complete my fucking mission even if I have to wipe out this life"
He then tore off the clothes from his waist up, revealing a magic circle tattooed in the center of his chest.
"Hey bastard… just die already!" shouted the elf as he emerged from the rubble, still holding his sword, his body battered and his magic nearly depleted.
"That's the plan, immortal idiot"
Without hesitation, the masked man stabbed his own chest with a black iron dagger, at that moment the tattooed circle began to glow, pain and magic surged through the mage's body as he screamed in agony.
{{Dark Magic}}
{{Summoning; Lord of a Thousand Poisons}}
Dark magic filled the air, the energy was so dense it made small rocks levitate, and a terrifying presence pressed down on Lucian and Ebony's chests, their bodies stopped responding, they couldn't even scream, only watch.
"(This is how I'll die… without having done anything… No… not like this.)"
Ebony bit her lip hard until it bled. The pain snapped her out of it and allowed her to move, step by step, toward her enemy.
"If I have to die, I'll die, if I have to lose, I'll lose… but I won't miss another fucking strike!" the blonde shouted, clinging to her courage.
When she reached the masked man, the dagger flew out of his chest, revealing a tar-black face trying to emerge from the open wound. Ebony's instincts screamed at her to run, but with all her courage and rage she delivered a direct blow to the monster's face.
Then a golden flash illuminated the area so intensely that it forced her to shut her eyes.
When Ebony regained her sight, the masked man lay face down on the ground, and the dreadful presence had vanished.
She couldn't believe it, she had done it, she screamed to the sky, celebrating her victory over fear. It was her moment… or so she thought.
"What was that? That's impossible" said the elf in shock.
For a second, Ebony believed her power had been so overwhelming that it even frightened the elf. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"What the fuck?" shouted the masked man, the elf, and even the girl herself.
Because the man in the mask, the enemy who had tried to kill them even at the cost of his own life, was there, lying down, without a single wound or scar.
Yes, Ebony had healed him with her magic.